I remember when Chanel Vamp came out in 1994. It was the first time I saw how a nail color could take hold and create a frenzy among fashion and beauty mavens. I was in college, and definitely wasn’t buying designer polish, but I was following the trends enough to know that Chanel Vamp was creating history.

Flash forward to 2008 when Peter Philips was named global creative director of Chanel Makeup. The first nail color created under his direction was Gold Fiction. Like liquid gold, Gold Fiction revived the frenzy of having the must-have color at every fashionista’s finger tips. Since then, every collection has featured a set of limited edition colors that have sold out at makeup counters and sold for over $100 on ebay. (Jade has reportedly created the most frenzy with prices reaching $165 on ebay. Laurel Pinson).

What is it about the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours that cause this mass hysteria?

Yes, the colors are ground breaking in that they are trendsetters.  That is, many mass market nail color brands follow suit and create copy cat colors.  But I don’t think that’s the main reason.  I think that the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colours are an easy in to the Chanel Fantasy – “the gateway drug“, if you will.

With basic Chanel flats starting at over $500 and Chanel 2.55 bags starting at over $2,000, Le Vernis Nail Colour is a steal at $23 to $25 a bottle.  Expensive for nail polish? Yes, and some might say that a person is crazy for spending that much on nail polish.  But, when you compare that to the cost of other Chanel products it’s a drop in the bucket.

Most people can’t afford the Chanel shoes, bags and clothing but are Chanelphiles nonetheless (I can attest to that!).  Le Vernis Nail Colours are a way for fledgling Chanel fans to buy into the Chanel fantasy.